Celebrating 60 years ......... 1947-2007
HIPPO Overview
HIPPO stands for 'Highlands and Islands - Performance, Participation, Opportunity'
HIPPO is a concept borne from athletics training camps in Stornoway and Shetland in September 2007 and through discussions with athletics clubs in the Highlands by our Highland Regional Coaches Charlie Forbes (Endurance) and Tracy Tamijmarane (Throws). They identified the urgent need for the establishment of an athletics competition and support system; this system would, given the geography and travel logistics and costs involved, have to be innovative to meet the needs of both rural and remote athletics clubs and those on
in and around Inverness. HIPPO is designed around, and will meet these needs.
Recently appointed Highlands Athletics Development officer, Julie Wyatt has been involved in this project and has been vital in ongoing communications with all clubs. 14 athletics clubs from the Highlands, Moray, Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney have been invited to participate in HIPPO potentially involving approximately 1350 athletes, coaches, officials and club and parent supporters.
HIPPO will deliver it's aims and objectives through 5 facets:
1) HIPPO Series – innovative competition structure based over 3 meetings
2) TEAM HIPPO – Team entered in Scottish Young Athletes League
3) HIPPO Performance Awards – awards based on selection for regional, Scottish and GB levels
4) HIPPO Bursaries & Awards– bursaries & awards available for the top athletes and their coaches
5) HIPPO-POSSI – biannual training camp
HIPPO Series
The HIPPO Series is an innovative locally sited inter-area competition that will
provide 2 rounds (April and June) of local competitions sited in Stornoway,
Shetland, Orkney and Inverness and then a ‘Grand Final’ which will take place in
Inverness in September where all clubs come together to compete against each
other. Provided funding is secured, HIPPO will also financially support clubs
for attending the Grand Final.
HIPPO is a team event and the team results will be calculated from athletes
performances at the Inverness open graded competitions. HIPPO open gradeds
have been scheduled for Stornoway, Shetland and Orkney for the first and second
rounds. Clubs have been asked to submit their preferred events for
time table compilation.
As an athlete you will chose your own events to enter at the open graded and pay
for your events (£3 for 1 event; £5 for 2 events or more). You must have
paid your club fees and be registered with Scottish Athletics for your
performances to count for our club team scores in HIPPO.
All harriers can enter
their chosen events at the
open graded. So all U15 athletes can enter the U15 100m or all could enter
Javelin. There is no limit to the number of competitors entered in a
single event. The is also no requirement for a club to compete in all
events in the program. The only restriction will be the type of events
entered - see below. Relays will be run as a 4 x 200m.
|
Age
|
Events
|
Restrictions
|
|
U13
|
3 events plus relay
|
Max 2 track or max 2 field
|
|
U15
|
3 events plus relay
|
Max 3 track or max 3 field
|
|
U17
|
4 events plus relay
|
Max 3 track or max 3 field
|
|
Senior
|
5 events plus relay
|
No restriction
|
Athlete and Team Scoring System
For each athlete their performance will be scored using the IAAF Hungarian
Scoring Tables. For each club and age group/sex the athletes performances
will be ranked by points. Using the appropriate number of top scoring
performances (see table below) the total points will be summed to give a team
age group totals. These total will be compared across all clubs to determine
the winning club and match points will be awarded. Match points will be
used to determine the overall winning club over the three meetings.
|
Performance scores to count
|
|
Sex
|
Events
|
AG
Score M/F
|
AG
score combined
|
M/F
team score
|
Overall team
|
|
U13- scoring events
= meeting 1 & 2 only
|
40
|
40
|
|
M
|
4T/5F
|
10
|
20
|
8
|
|
F
|
4T/5F
|
10
|
8
|
|
U15
|
|
M
|
6T/8F
|
15
|
30
|
12
|
|
F
|
5T/7F
|
15
|
12
|
|
U17
|
|
M
|
7T/8F
|
15
|
30
|
12
|
|
F
|
7T/7F
|
15
|
12
|
|
Senior
|
|
M
|
8T/8F
|
15
|
30
|
12
|
|
F
|
8T/8F
|
15
|
12
|
On the evening of the Grand Final it is hoped that an annual awards ceremony and
ceilidh will take place (subject to funding).
TEAM HIPPO in the Scottish Young Athletes League
Inverness Harriers graciously withdrew from the SYAL to allow a composite team
from HIPPO to enter. TEAM HIPPO will be a stronger team and it is hope
will make the Scottish Final to fight for a place in the UK Finals. This
offers our top juniors a higher level of competition that they may not have otherwise had. Selection for TEAM HIPPO will be made by Julie Wyatt (ADO) with
support from the 4 Highland Regional Coaches. Selection for the first
meeting will be based on performances in 2008 and summer 2007 and indoors 2007/8.
For subsequent meetings selection will be based solely on 2008 outdoor
performances. Team selection will be made as a A,B,C and D string, with C
and D as non travelling reserves. Team selection will be announced TWO
Mondays prior to the date of competition. Please note: at the SYAL there
are NO guest athletes allowed.
For away matches a team bus will be organised from Inverness but selected
athletes wishing to compete must make their own way to and from Inverness to
meet the bus. A fee of £10 per head will be charged for the bus.
HIPPO Performance Awards
Funding dependant, awards of £50, £75 and £100 will be made to athletes achieving selection to regional squads, Scottish and GB teams respectively.
HIPPO Bursaries
Funding dependant, a limited number of higher level competition bursaries will be made available for application by athletes and their coaches who regularly participate in the HIPPO Series. Bursaries are designed to assist with travel and accommodation costs and can only be applied for events equivalent to the Scottish National Age Group Championships or higher. Consideration will also be given to athletes for assistance for travel to connection points for Scottish or GB teams.
HIPPO-POSSI
Funding dependant, the top HIPPO athletes will be selected to become members of the HIPPO-POSSI and will be invited to attend the HIPPO-POSSI bi-annual camp which will run in conjunction with the Highland Regional Squad. Athlete selection will be based on achieving
UK Top 100 targets and via invitation from the Highland Regional Coaches.
Athletes must be in the U15 age group or older.
For more details please
contact Julie Wyatt (ADO) by email.
